Ex-Gophers star Koi Perich commits to Big Ten powerhouse in portal

Former Gophers star safety, return specialist, and (occasional) wide receiver Koi Perich has found a home in the transfer portal — and he's staying in the same conference. Perich has committed to Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Oregon has a landed a commitment from ex-Minnesota star safety Koi Perich, sources tell @CBSSports.

Perich, who had 128 tackles and six interceptions the last two years at Minnesota, ranks as the top safety and one of the best overall players to enter the portal this cycle. pic.twitter.com/eHZW7P66FW
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 13, 2026

Perich recently visited Texas Tech, in addition to Oregon. He was the No. 1 safety and No. 12 overall player in 247 Sports' rankings of this year's transfer portal class.

Although he'll continue to play in the Big Ten for at least one more season, Perich won't face off against his former team in the regular season. The next scheduled matchup between Minnesota and Oregon isn't until 2028 in Minneapolis. That can happen with 18 teams in a conference and certain protected rivalry games (the Gophers still face Iowa and Wisconsin every year).

Perich will be eligible for the NFL draft in 2027. Even if he plays two years at Oregon, he wouldn't play the Gophers in the regular season. It'll take a postseason meeting (either in the Big Ten title game or the College Football Playoff) or perhaps a medical redshirt year for him to go against his old team.

Still, Gophers fans may not be thrilled to see the Esko, MN native land with one of the best teams in their conference. Oregon has gone 48-8 in four seasons since hiring Lanning, including 26-3 (and 17-1 in regular season conference games) in two years since joining the expanded Big Ten. Both of the Ducks' losses this season came against Indiana, including a blowout defeat in the national semifinals on Friday night.

Perich is probably the most notable Gophers player to transfer out of the program since Bucky Irving also went from Minnesota to Oregon after the 2021 season.

Perich coming to Minnesota was a huge recruiting win for P.J. Fleck in the class of 2024. He had an incredible true freshman season in which he led the Big Ten with five interceptions, but his sophomore season was rather disappointing. His PFF grade dropped from 88.9 to 62.4 and he was charged with a team-high 23 missed tackles.

Koi Perich — Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Now, the rising junior from small-town Minnesota is headed to the Pacific Northwest to play for one of the powerhouses of college football. In Eugene, Perich will look to compete for a national championship and perhaps cement himself as an early draft pick two Aprils from now.

Since Perich entered the portal at the start of the new year, the Gophers have undoubtedly known that he wouldn't be back. They'll move forward with a safety room led by Kerry Brown and hybrid player Aidan Gousby. They've also added safety depth in small-school standouts Mekhai Smith and Parker Knutson via the portal this offseason.

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